ICYMI in the Day: Courtney Urges Passage of Bill for Disabled Veterans

WASHINGTON, DC - In case you missed it in the Day, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) is calling on his colleagues to support the Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102) ahead of a vote on the bipartisan bill tomorrow in the House of Representatives.

From the Day:

"In a speech on the House floor on Monday, Courtney called for the passage of the 'Major Richard Star Act,' a bipartisan bill that would end the country's system of offsetting or reducing veteran retirement benefits by deducting disability compensation"

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"This wasn't just an aspirational speech," Courtney said today. "Because of the successful discharge petition, a bipartisan majority has a real chance tomorrow to finally vote for and pass this bill and take a major step to fixing this injustice that diminishes earned retirement benefits for veteran retirees who also collect service-connected disability benefits."

Courtney is one of 342 cosponsors of the Major Richard Star Act, and earlier this year, he signed a discharge petition to force a vote on the bill in the House. Having reached the signature threshold to force a vote, it is expected that the House will vote on the Major Richard Star Act on Veterans Day this Wednesday.

Currently, combat-injured veterans who were forced into medical retirement are only able to receive either U.S. Department of Defense retirement benefits or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation. The Major Richard Star Act would amend the law to allow these medically retired veterans to receive both their full retirement pay and disability compensation.

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